Pakistan, USA, Afghanistan Hold Talks Today

Islamabad, Aug 2 (Prensa Latina) Diplomats from Pakistan, the United States and Afghanistan will meet in this capital on Tuesday to boost the Afghan peace and reconciliation process.

Washington will be represented by its special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman; Kabul, by Undersecretary of Foreign Relations Jawid Lodin, and Islamabad by Foreign Affairs Secretary Salman Bashir.

The meeting of the so-called Central Group also will be attended by high-ranking military and intelligence officers from the three nations, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

The meeting coincides with the beginning of a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the announcement by other member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that they will do the same, in a process to conclude by 2014.

In fact, the NATO command has transferred to Afghan military authorities five of the areas under its jurisdiction.

Analysts said the Central Group meeting agenda also covers tensions on the Pakistani-Afghan border.